| No. 1 Squadron | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active |
|
| Role | Air superiority Interdiction |
| Base | AFSGwalior |
| Nickname | Tigers |
| Mottos | Ekta Mein Shakti (Hindi: "Strength in Unity") |
| Engagements | Hur's OperationsNWFP Burma Campaign Operation Polo Western Air War, 1965 Liberation War, 1971 Kargil War Operation Parakram |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Group Captain Hemant Kumar |
| Notable commanders | Subroto Mukerjee Arjan Singh Dilbagh Singh |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol | A Royal Bengal Tiger |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Dassault Mirage 2000 |
No. 1 Squadron (The Tigers), the oldest squadron of theIndian Air Force operates as amultirole (air superiority andelectronic warfare) unit. Part of the 40 Wing of the Indian Air Force underCentral Air Command, it is based atAFB inGwalior.[1]
Gwalior has the Indian Air Force's elite Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE), a premier unit for advanced fighter pilot training in aerial tactics, comparable to the US Navy's TOPGUN, focusing on operational doctrines and tactics for aircraft.
No. 1 Squadron was established on 1 April 1933 atDrigh Road inKarachi, marking the operational commencement of the Indian Air Force. The initial unit, known as 'A' Flight, comprised six Indian officers who had completed their training atRAF College Cranwell in July 1932. These officers, includingSubroto Mukerjee (later the first IndianChief of Air Staff), underwent further training withNo. 16 Squadron RAF and the Army Co-operation School before returning to India. Flight Lieutenant Cecil "Boy" Bouchier, a decoratedWorld War I veteran, volunteered to lead this nascent unit. The squadron was equipped with four Westland Wapiti biplanes and operated from a newly constructed barracks at Drigh Road, affectionately named 'Gandhi Hill' by its occupants. This period laid the foundation for the Indian Air Force's evolution into a formidable air power.[2]
In Sep 1937 the Squadron was inducted into operations inNorth West Frontier province. Mukerjee was awarded theIndia General Service Medal with the clasps 'North West Frontier 1936–37', and 'North West Frontier 1937–39'.[3] He was one of the three flying officers of the three flights of No. 1 Squadron.[4] On 15 February 1939, he was promoted to the rank of flight lieutenant.[5] He took command of the No. 1 Squadron on 16 March 1939, the first Indian officer to command a squadron. In June 1939, under Mukerjee, the squadron converted toHawker Hart aircraft with a fewHawker Audax aircraft in its inventory.[6] He led the squadron into action atMiranshah Airfield in NWFP.[4]
In June 1939, the Squadron was re-equipped with Hawker Hart aircraft. In 1942, theImperial Japanese forces occupiedBurma. No. 1 Squadron of the Royal Indian Air Force was posted to Burma, and Majumdar reachedTaungoo with his squadron on 31 January 1942. On the very next day, theImperial Japanese Army Air Force based inMae Hong Son in Thailand bombed Taungoo, inflicting considerable damage. However, No. 1 Squadron, which had taken the precaution of dispersing and hiding their Lysanders, was unharmed. On one occasion Majumdar was forced down in the Shan jungles due to engine failure and managed to return to Lashio after a harrowing journey through dense forests. Majumdar was awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross, gazetted in theLondon Gazette of 10 November 1942.[7] During theBattle of Imphal, The Tigers were tasked to provide close air support to the 17th Indian division.Arjan Singh led No. 1 Squadron into combat during theArakan Campaign in 1944.[8] He was awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in June 1944.
In 1947 during partition, No 1 RIAF Squadron was allocated to Pakistan.Pakistan Air Force did not continue the lineage. On 26 January 1953, No 15 Squadron was renumbered as No.1 Squadron, IAF atHalwara, withSpitfires on its inventory under the command of Squadron Leader EJ Dhatigara with the Tigers heritage. On 15 February 1957, No.1 Squadron was redesignated as No.27 Squadron. A new squadron was raised atKalaikunda with the newDassault Mystere-IVa aircraft. Squadron Leader Dilbagh Singh made the first officialsonic boom over India inNew Delhi when theMystere IV-A was showcased in a public demonstration.
This Squadron took part in the 1961 operation forAnnexation of Goa withMystere-IVa aircraft. In 1963, the squadron had moved toAdampur. In recognition of their contribution during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, the squadron received 1MVC(Posthumous) and 3Vir Chakra awards. On 18 October 1968, the Tigers, were presented the President’s Colours. During the 1971 Indo-Pak War, the Tigers flew a total of 513 sorties. They receivedAVSM and 1Vir Chakra award.The squadrom was relocated atGorakhpur in Feb 1982. They moved further east, toHashimara, in the easternDooars, in 1985. On 1 January 1986, the squadron moved toGwalior and were equipped withMirage-2000 aircraft. They have stayed there except for a temporary deployment toAmbala forOperation Safed Sagar.
The squadron successfully test fired a BVRMICA missile from a Mirage-2000 aircraft on 24 September 2016.[9]
| Aircraft | From | To | Air Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Independence (1933–47) | |||
| Westland Wapiti IIA | May 1933 | October 1941 | Karachi[10][11] |
| Hawker Audax | September 1939 | December 1941 | Peshawar |
| Harvard IIB | October 1945 | September 1947 | |
| Westland Lysander | September 1941 | July 1942 | |
| Hawker Hurricane Mk 1 | October 1942 | May 1943 | Trichy |
| Hawker Hurricane Mk IIB | May 1943 | August 1944 | |
| Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC | July 1944 | May 1946 | Imphal |
| Harvard IIB | October 1945 | May 1947 | Peshawar |
| Spitfire VIII | December 1945 | May 1947 | |
| Post-Independence (1953–Present) | |||
| Spitfire XVIII | February 1953 | September 1953 | AFS Halwara |
| Vampire FB52 | March 1953 | March 1957 | AFS Palam |
| Dassault Mystère IVa | July 1957 | 1963 | AFS Kalaikunda |
| 1963 | June 1966 | AFS Adampur | |
| MiG-21 FL | July 1966 | February 1986 | |
| Dassault Mirage 2000 | February 1986 | Present | AFS Gwalior |
Commemorative stamp was released byIndia Post in 1993.
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